Pneumatic Haptic Device Having Actuation Cells for Producing a Haptic Output Over a Bed Mattress

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a pressure mapping system that includes a sensing pad configured for placement between a user and a bed. The sensing pad can include an array of actuation cells where each actuation cell in the array of actuation cells is configured to actuate in response to a fluid being introduced into the actuation cell. The sensing pad can also include an array of pressure sensors where each pressure sensor in the array of pressure sensors is configured to output pressure measurements. The pressure mapping system can also include a control system that is configured to receive the pressure measurements from the array of pressure sensors, generate a pressure map for the user based on the set of pressure measurements and a position of the pressure sensing cells on the sensing pad, and actuate a subset of the array of actuation cells based on the pressure map.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An in-bed haptic system, comprising:
 a sensing pad configured for placement between a user and a bed and comprising:
 an array of actuation cells, each actuation cell in the array of actuation cells configured to actuate in response to a fluid being introduced into each actuation cell; and 
 an array of pressure sensors, each pressure sensor in the array of pressure sensors configured to output pressure measurements; and 
   a control system configured to:
 receive the pressure measurements from the array of pressure sensors; 
 generate a pressure map for the user based on the pressure measurements and a position of each pressure sensor on the sensing pad; and 
 actuate actuation cells of the array of actuation cells based on the pressure map. 
   
     
     
         2 . The in-bed haptic system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each pressure sensor in the array of pressure sensors is associated with an actuation cell in the array of actuation cells and is configured to sense a fluid pressure inside a corresponding actuation cell;   the control system is configured to pressurize individual cells of the array of actuation cells; and   the control system is configured to receive the pressure measurements taken during the pressurization of the individual cells.   
     
     
         3 . The in-bed haptic system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:
 compare the pressure map to a set of stored pressure map data; and   determine a posture of the user based on the comparison.   
     
     
         4 . The in-bed haptic system of  claim 3 , wherein the set of stored pressure map data comprises pressure maps corresponding to different postures of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The in-bed haptic system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:
 compare the pressure map to a set of stored pressure map data; and   determine a specific user from a set of one or more users based on the comparison.   
     
     
         6 . The in-bed haptic system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:
 determine a subset of the array of actuation cells that are positioned underneath the user; and   introduce pressurized air into each of the subset of the array of actuation cells to provide a haptic output.   
     
     
         7 . The in-bed haptic system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:
 determine a subset of the array of actuation cells that are positioned underneath the user; and   determine a physiological parameter of the user using pressure sensors from the array of pressure sensors that correspond to the subset of the array of actuation cells.   
     
     
         8 . The in-bed haptic system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:
 determine a subset of the array of actuation cells that are not being contacted by the user; and   deactivate pressure sensors associated with the subset of the array of actuation cells.   
     
     
         9 . A pressure mapping system, comprising:
 a sensing pad configured to be integrated with a user support structure and comprising:
 an array of actuation cells, each actuation cell in the array of actuation cells configured to actuate in response to a fluid being introduced into an actuation cell; and 
 an array of pressure sensors, each pressure sensor in the array of pressure sensors coupled with the actuation cell of the array of actuation cells, configured to measure a fluid pressure within a corresponding actuation cell, and output one or more signals indicative of the measured fluid pressure for each actuation cell; and 
   a control system configured to:
 receive the one or more signals from the array of pressure sensors; 
 determine that a user is contacting the user support structure; 
 in response to determining the user contact, generate a pressure map for the user based on the received one or more signals; and 
 identify the user as a specific user based on the pressure map. 
   
     
     
         10 . The pressure mapping system of  claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to identify the user by comparing the pressure map to a set of registered pressure maps each associated with the specific user. 
     
     
         11 . The pressure mapping system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
 compare the pressure map to a set of registered posture maps associated with the user; and   determine a posture of the user based on the comparison of the pressure map to the set of registered pressure maps.   
     
     
         12 . The pressure mapping system of  claim 9 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
 identify a subset of pressure sensors from the array of pressure sensors that are positioned underneath the user; and   operate the subset of pressure sensors to measure a physiological parameter of the user.   
     
     
         13 . The pressure mapping system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 pressure sensors in the array of pressure sensors comprise a first sensor type;   the sensing pad further comprises a second array of sensors comprising a second sensor type, different from the first sensor type; and   the control system is configured to operate the second array of sensors to generate a second map for the user based on outputs from the second array of sensors.   
     
     
         14 . The pressure mapping system of  claim 13 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
 identify a subset of sensors from the second array of sensors that are positioned underneath the user; and   operate the subset of sensors from the second array of sensors to measure a physiological parameter of the user.   
     
     
         15 . The pressure mapping system of  claim 13 , wherein the second sensor type comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, an acoustic sensor, a proximity sensor, a resonant sensor, a strain sensor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a pressure sensing haptic device to identify a posture of a user, the method comprising:
 receiving a set of pressure measurements from an array of pressure sensors positioned on a user support structure;   generating a pressure map for the user based on the set of pressure measurements and positions of pressure sensors within the array of pressure sensors;   comparing the pressure map to a set of stored pressure maps, the set of stored pressure maps comprising posture maps that are each associated with a specific posture; and   identifying the posture of the user based on the comparison of the pressure map to the set of stored pressure maps.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 identifying a set of actuators positioned under the user based on the pressure map; and   in response to identifying the set of actuators, causing the pressure sensing haptic device to actuate one or more actuators in the set of actuators to provide a haptic feedback to the user.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the causing the pressure sensing haptic device to actuate the one or more actuators comprises causing the pressure sensing haptic device to inflate a set of actuation bladders coupled to the pressure sensing haptic device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 identifying a set of sensors positioned under the user based on the pressure map; and   in response to identifying the set of sensors, causing one or more sensors in the set of sensors to measure a physiological parameter of the user.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising prior to receiving the set of pressure measurements, causing the pressure sensing haptic device to inflate a set of actuation bladders coupled to the pressure sensing haptic device, wherein the set of pressure measurements comprises fluid pressure measurements within the set of actuation bladders.